Sacrifice (qurbani) in the month of Rajab

In the days of ignorance (jahiliyyah) the Arabs used to offer the sacrifice of a goat in the month of Rajab. This sacrifice used to be called ‘Atirah’ or ‘Rajabiyyah’. This sacrifice was offered in the name of different so-called gods and their icons. In the beginning of Islam, this custom was retained, but the Muslims modified it by offering the sacrifice of Atirah in the name of Allah instead of the false gods. But finally, this custom was abandoned and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) prohibited the offering of Atirah. In a tradition of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah (R.), reported by both al Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has said:
Fara ‘is nothing and Atriah is nothing.
Abu Hurairah (R.) has explained in the same tradition that ‘Fara’ was the first child of a she-camel. Whenever a she-camel delivered its first child, the Arabs used to sacrifice it in the name of their so-called gods, while the ‘Atirah’ was a goat used to be sacrificed in the name of Rajab. Since the Holy Prophet (PBUH) stopped both these customs, ‘Atirah’ is no longer a recognized practice.

‘Umrah in the month of Rajab
Ibn ‘Abidin, the well-known scholar of the Islamic jurisprudence, has mentioned that the people of Makkah (in his days) used to perform ‘umrah in the month of Rajab. Perhaps they believed that performing ‘umrah in this month is more meritorious than in other months. Then Ibn’Abidin himself has rejected the authenticity of this practice, because no tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is found to this effect. Conversely Sayyidah ‘Aishah (R.) has expressly negated the presumption by saying that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) never performed an ‘umrah in the month of Rajab (Sahih Muslim 1: 409).
However, Ibn ‘Abidin has quoted a narration that Abdullah Ibn Zubair (R.) completed a renovation of Ka’bah shortly before 27th of Rajab, and as a sign of gratefulness he performed ‘umrah and slaughtered some animals. But this report cannot form the basis of a recognized annual practice, firstly because the report is not very authentic, and secondly because it does not mention that Abdullah Ibn Zubair (R.) had adopted it as a continuing practice. At the most, he performed ‘umrah once as a sign of gratefulness on the completion of Ka’bah. It does not mean that he performed it as a characteristic of the month of Rajab.
Therefore, performing ‘Umrah in this month is like performing it in any other month and no special merit can be attached to it merely because it has been performed in the month of Rajab.

The Salah of “Ragha’ib”
Another special mode of worship attributed by some people to this month is the Salah of Raghai’b. According to the custom of such people, this Salah is performed in the night of first Friday or the month of Rajab. The Salah of Raghaib is said to consist of twelve rak’ats to be performed in pairs with six salams, and in each rak’ats the surah al-qadar is recited three times followed by Surah –al-ikhlas.
This type of Salah is also not based on any sound source of Shari’ah. Therefore, almost all the jurists and scholars of Shari’ah have held that the Salah of Raghaib is baseless practice and it is not permissible as a recognized practice of this month. It is true that there is a tradition, narrated by Razin, the author of a book of hadith, which attributes the origin of this practice to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) but all the scholars of the science of hadith have held it to be absolutely unauthentic. Therefore, no importance can be attached to it.




	Sacrifice (qurbani) in the month of Rajab In the days of ignorance (jahiliyyah) the Arabs used to offer the sacrifice of a goat in the month of Rajab. This sacrifice used to be called ‘Atirah’ or ‘Rajabiyyah’. This sacrifice was offered in the name of different so-called gods and their icons. In the beginning of Islam, this custom was retained, but the Muslims modified it by offering the sacrifice of Atirah in the name of Allah instead of the false gods. But finally, this custom was abandoned and the Holy Prophet (PBUH) prohibited the offering of Atirah. In a tradition of Sayyidna Abu Hurairah (R.), reported by both al Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) has said: Fara ‘is nothing and Atriah is nothing. Abu Hurairah (R.) has explained in the same tradition that ‘Fara’ was the first child of a she-camel. Whenever a she-camel delivered its first child, the Arabs used to sacrifice it in the name of their so-called gods, while the ‘Atirah’ was a goat used to be sacrificed in the name of Rajab. Since the Holy Prophet (PBUH) stopped both these customs, ‘Atirah’ is no longer a recognized practice. ‘Umrah in the month of Rajab Ibn ‘Abidin, the well-known scholar of the Islamic jurisprudence, has mentioned that the people of Makkah (in his days) used to perform ‘umrah in the month of Rajab. Perhaps they believed that performing ‘umrah in this month is more meritorious than in other months. Then Ibn’Abidin himself has rejected the authenticity of this practice, because no tradition of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is found to this effect. Conversely Sayyidah ‘Aishah (R.) has expressly negated the presumption by saying that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) never performed an ‘umrah in the month of Rajab (Sahih Muslim 1: 409). However, Ibn ‘Abidin has quoted a narration that Abdullah Ibn Zubair (R.) completed a renovation of Ka’bah shortly before 27th of Rajab, and as a sign of gratefulness he performed ‘umrah and slaughtered some animals. But this report cannot form the basis of a recognized annual practice, firstly because the report is not very authentic, and secondly because it does not mention that Abdullah Ibn Zubair (R.) had adopted it as a continuing practice. At the most, he performed ‘umrah once as a sign of gratefulness on the completion of Ka’bah. It does not mean that he performed it as a characteristic of the month of Rajab. Therefore, performing ‘Umrah in this month is like performing it in any other month and no special merit can be attached to it merely because it has been performed in the month of Rajab. The Salah of “Ragha’ib” Another special mode of worship attributed by some people to this month is the Salah of Raghai’b. According to the custom of such people, this Salah is performed in the night of first Friday or the month of Rajab. The Salah of Raghaib is said to consist of twelve rak’ats to be performed in pairs with six salams, and in each rak’ats the surah al-qadar is recited three times followed by Surah –al-ikhlas. This type of Salah is also not based on any sound source of Shari’ah. Therefore, almost all the jurists and scholars of Shari’ah have held that the Salah of Raghaib is baseless practice and it is not permissible as a recognized practice of this month. It is true that there is a tradition, narrated by Razin, the author of a book of hadith, which attributes the origin of this practice to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) but all the scholars of the science of hadith have held it to be absolutely unauthentic. Therefore, no importance can be attached to it.

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